Messerschmitt Me P.1101

The Me P.1101 was the first variable geometry jet fighter, although it's wing sweep could only be altered from 35 degrees to 45 degrees
whilst the plane was on the ground. The two-piece wing had steel spars with wooden skin and ribs, and was located in the
high-mid position. The tail surfaces were also swept. The pressurised cabin was located well forward in the upper part of the fuselage,
and behind it was the fuel tank and space for the retracted main undercarriage legs. Below the cockpit was the air intake and duct for
the turbojet engine, which was mounted in mid-fuselage.The P.1101's development started early in 1944. The Messerschmitt advanced
design office was looking for a single-engined jet fighter with the same endurance and range as the successful Me 262. After wind tunnel
testing, construction of an experimental prototype was initiated in July 1944 but only near completion when the Allies captured the
airbase where the plane was being built.
The P.1101 provided the fundamental design ideas for the American Bell X-5 variable sweep research aircraft.

Me P.1101 V1 3-view drawing by Airborne Grafix, enlarged version

Partly rebuilt captured Me P.1101 with mock-up canons.

Me P.1101 near completion as captured by US troops.

Front view of the reassembled Me P.1101

Drawing of series productuction model.

Reassembled Me P.1101 after transfer to the US.

Another Me P.1101 was captured in Oberammergau in May 1945.

Bell X-5

The Bell X-5 was the world's first airplane to vary the sweepback of its wings in flight. It was built to prove the theory that by increasing
the sweepback of an airplane's wings after takeoff, a higher maximum speed could be obtained, while still retaining low takeoff and landing
speed and higher rate of climb with the wings swept forward. The X-5 was based upon the design of a Messerschmitt P.1101 airplane
discovered in Germany at the end of World War II, although the P.1101 could vary its sweep only on the ground. The first X-5 flight was
made on June 20, 1951. On the airplane's ninth flight, its wings were operated through the full sweep range of 20 to 60 degrees. Two X-5s
were built and flown. One crashed and was destroyed on October 13, 1953 when it failed to recover from a spin at 60 degrees sweepback.
The other was delivered to the U.S. Air Force Museum in March 1958.

Photo showing wing sweep range from 20° to 60°.

2nd X-5 ready for test flights on lake bed.

Side view of 2nd prototype.

The first X-5 beeing prepared for a test flight.

Bell X-5 with full swept back wings.

X-5 front view (compare with same view of the Me P.1101 above!)

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